Blue
by Jac Danvers
Summary: The world is ending, and Hermione has been left alone. As everything crashes down, she finds comfort in an unlikely source. AU, written after the release of the second book.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the related characters. They are property of the creative genius that is JK Rowling. **

**A/N: I wrote this story some (mumbles an unintelligible large number) years ago. I remember really loving it when I first wrote it, so I decided to post it here. It is a bit AU, as it was written just after the second book was released, and it reflects the romantic notions of a middle school year. It's a bit cliche, a bit melodramatic, and just a tad depressing. I hope you will give it a chance, and leave a review and let me know what you think. So, with only minor changes, I present you with Blue, inspired by the song by Chantel Kreviazuk!**

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The Ministry of Magic had announced it only a few short hours ago. Cornelius Fudge had said it in shaking voice, the pompous man that Hermione had met so many times no longer existing. Percy Weasley stood nearby; his face so white that his red hair appeared to be wisps of fire in the wind of the clear autumn day. After all that had happened, she still could not help but admire his loyalty to the Ministry.

The hallways of Hogwarts were abandoned, but the ghostly voices of the students still echoed as they would during the daily rush between classes. Only one person remained now. She wandered lonely, wishing that her solitude was not reality.

When the professors loaded the Hogwarts Express with students that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn't joined their classmates on the train. Dumbledore had asked them to remain behind. They were the last defense. Only they had a remote chance to defeat Voldemort. With childish vigor, they agreed. She should have known, she should have been rational enough to see that it was a death sentence. Somewhere within her soul, though, Hermione had developed a hero complex almost as large as Harry and Ron's. So she consented to travel by portkey to Voldemort's hiding place.

Before they left, Ron had used floo powder, provided by Dumbledore, to visit his family. Percy had not been there, of course- he would not leave the Ministry as long as there was hope. Fred and George hadn't been laughing, and Ginny had been unnaturally quiet. As Harry and Hermione waited for Ron to return, they'd silently feared Mrs. Weasley had locked him away in a broom closet to keep him from leaving.

Harry had used a portkey to visit his parent's grave in Godric's Hollow. The cemetery was a small one, in the town his parents had fallen in love with upon their graduation. In the summer they were surrounded by lilac bushes, but the autumn cold had ensured they were already dead.

Dumbledore had offered Hermione a way home to see her parents, but she refused. Instead, she owled them, a letter in which she wrote how much she loved them, and thanked them for their support in her educational endeavors. She didn't know what to write, and she certainly wouldn't have been able to voice even these words in person. It read like a suicide note, which it essentially was. She hoped the letter never arrived at its destination.

When all three had said their goodbyes to their family, Dumbledore handed them the portkey, tears falling from his ancient eyes. He looked defeated, and Hermione now realized why.

Only four hours had passed since they grabbed the enchanted cordless telephone. Harry and Ron were dead. Two years of preparing and gaining strength had made Voldemort nigh on invincible, and three teens were no match.

Hermione had barely escaped alive. With his last few ounces of might, Ron had shoved the return portkey into her hands, sending her back to Hogwarts.

**Alone. **

As she pondered the events of the last few hours, Hermione began to walk toward the West Tower, where the observatory was. She thought of her family. "They're so oblivious," she whispered to herself, laughing bitterly. They didn't know of Voldemort, or how he threatened the existence of everything they loved. They didn't know that by this time tomorrow only his servants would be free, and that they would be enslaved or dead.

Her mum and dad would go to the office, and take care of a child that had a toothache because he ate too many sweets. Aunt Leah would teach her kindergarten class the alphabet, while Uncle Evan would be designing a new race car for a toy store. And Fiona, her favorite, blue haired cousin, would be attending a music class at college, then rush off to rehearsal with her band, Farming for Cash.

They didn't know the end was coming, no muggle did. Hermione couldn't help but wonder what their reaction would be, when the bright, blue light of Voldemort's wand flashed and darkness enveloped them.

As she opened the door to the tower, it creaked loudly. "Hermione?"

"Who's there?" she asked, eyes scanning the room, her hand gripping her wand. The school had been locked since four in the afternoon, when Dumbledore had finally left.

"Me." A flame red head peered out of a dark corner near the window. "Didn't think I'd see you again."

Relief flooded through her as she recognized the voice. It was comforting, made her feel like she wasn't alone anymore.

"I thought you'd still be at the ministry building, Percy."

He stared at her blankly, miserably. "What Ministry? Mione, it's gone. They're gone." He paused a moment. "Where's my family? And why aren't you home?"

"I can't go home. My parents are muggles, you know that. I can't stand by and watch as they go around their lives cheerfully. I know the truth and they don't. I'd hate myself for keeping it from them."

"And my family?"

"Ginny went home to your Dad and Mum. The twins, Bill, and Charlie were at home too." She walked over to the window, her tattered, dirty robes flowing about her like Rapunzel's long hair.

"What about Ron?" he asked, fear building inside him. Hermione was keeping something from him, and he had to know. She stared out the tower window aimlessly, ignoring him.

"The sky is so beautiful. Who would think it's the end?" she said softly, trying to avoid the subject. _I can't tell. I can't be the one to do this. _

Percy walked over and held her by the shoulders. "Hermione! Where. Is. Ron?"

She looked at him sadly, tears forming behind her eyes. "He and Harry are gone. Ron died saving me." She turned back to the window. "I always thought I'd die in my sleep, or at least with a smile on my face. But it's the last day, and I've never felt so blue before." She forced a smile, a sweet one that pierced his heart to the very core.

"We've had warnings. For months and months, we've gotten letters and reports about Voldemort's return." Percy began pacing, back and forth. "Fudge kept telling us to ignore them, that practical jokers had been sending them in since his father had worked there. Most didn't even have enough information to give us a lead." He leaned back into the wall, sliding onto the ground. "How many real warnings did we miss? It's our fault the world is falling apart. I've worked at the ministry for four years, and all my work has led to the end of the world."

Hermione rushed to his side, kneeling down. She took his face in her ink stained hand, which hadn't been washed since before her History of Magic class that morning. They were taking reams of endless notes through the entire lecture. So much had happened, it was hard to believe. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this Percy, whatever happens. You put your heart and soul into your work, and there is nothing more anybody could have asked of you."

She pulled Percy off the ground. Hermione was surprisingly strong, probably from all the years spent carrying piles of heavy books. "Come look at the stars with me. For all we know, we won't have another chance."

He followed her to the window. She sat perched on the ledge, and his hand moved to her waist to keep her steady. Never would he have been this bold under normal circumstance. "After my grandmum died, when I was really little, my mum told me that she was a star and would always watch over me." She looked at him, trying to find one little speck of hope that might be left. "D'you think it's true? That there's somebody up there protecting us?"

He nodded, relaxing against the wall. One hand ran through his hair, pushing the bangs out of his eyes. "I'm sure there is. We've made it this far, haven't we?"

Percy wasn't sure why he lied to her. Something inside told him that if he tore this last bit of hope away from her, she would break down completely. Another part of him wanted to find a source of comfort, and give himself some sort of hope for what would come after.

She smiled. "I guess we're kind of lucky. If we're still here tomorrow, will you watch the sunrise with me?" He nodded again, walking back towards the door. He could bear to keep looking for death in the still night.

"Don't leave!" she shouted. Hermione ran to him, grabbing his hand franticly. She clung to him, standing in the center of the room. "Don't leave me like everyone else. I don't want to be alone. I can't take it anymore."

From the bottom of the tower, a loud crash rose. Percy rushed back to the window, and looked down. "Oh Merlin," he whispered so softly she couldn't hear. He turned away from the window.

"He's here, isn't he?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer. She joined him at the window. There was a gaping hole at the bottom of the tower, burn marks on the stones that hadn't become part of the mass of rubble. "He'll be up here soon, I presume. I guess we can forget about the sunrise." Her dry laugh resonated through the room.

The murmur of voices drifted up the stairwell. Percy took out his wand, held it high, ready to attack. Hermione pushed it down gently. "No." He was confused- he wanted to protect her.

"Get out of here, Percy. Voldemort wants me, not you. You have a chance. Go home and be with your family. Apologize. They need you more than you know."

"Hermione…" he pleaded.

"Please, just go. I'll be fine. I'll catch up with you in the morning. We'll get breakfast. Do this for me, please."

He nodded, and she emitted a sigh of relief. He gathered his robes about him, prepared to apparate. One, tiny trickle running down her cheek. The tears she had been holding back all night were falling.

"I'm not leaving you. Not yet."

Hermione stared blankly at him. "Why?"

He pulled her close and kissed her. His hands were entwined in her hair; her hands pulled him closer to her. Placing her head on his chest, she rested one last time in her life, fully content. "Pity we didn't realize this until the end…" she muttered, making him smile.

"She's in here, my Lord." Hermione recognized Lucius Malfoy's deep bass outside the door. Detangling herself from Percy, leaving him with one last kiss on the cheek, she prepared for battle.

Silence fell over the room.

The door smashed in.

She heard Percy shout a curse, and was certain her voice did as well.

The room filled with light, and all that Hermione saw was blue.

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**I hope you all enjoyed the story! Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated as well!**


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